"Sir, he hath never fed of the dainties that are bred in a book. He hath not eat paper, as it were, he hath not drunk ink. His intellect is not replenished, he is only an animal, only sensible in the duller parts."
— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Work Title
Date
1598
Metaphor
"Sir, he hath never fed of the dainties that are bred in a book. He hath not eat paper, as it were, he hath not drunk ink. His intellect is not replenished, he is only an animal, only sensible in the duller parts."
Metaphor in Context
NATHANIEL
Sir, he hath never fed of the dainties that are bred in a book.
He hath not eat paper, as it were, he hath not drunk
ink. His intellect is not replenished, he is only an
animal, only sensible in the duller parts,
And such barren plants are set before us that we thankful should be,
Which we of taste and feeling are, for those parts that do fructify in us more than he.
For as it would ill become me to be vain, indiscreet, or a fool,
So were there a patch set on learning to see him in a school.
But omne bene say I, being of an old father's mind:
"Many can brook the weather that love not the wind."
(IV.ii.23-33)
Sir, he hath never fed of the dainties that are bred in a book.
He hath not eat paper, as it were, he hath not drunk
ink. His intellect is not replenished, he is only an
animal, only sensible in the duller parts,
And such barren plants are set before us that we thankful should be,
Which we of taste and feeling are, for those parts that do fructify in us more than he.
For as it would ill become me to be vain, indiscreet, or a fool,
So were there a patch set on learning to see him in a school.
But omne bene say I, being of an old father's mind:
"Many can brook the weather that love not the wind."
(IV.ii.23-33)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS; found again reading in MacDonald's History of the Concept of Mind (273)
Citation
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Oxford Shakespeare. Electronic Edition for the IBM PC. Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor, Editor.
Date of Entry
10/09/2003
Date of Review
05/26/2009
